Elliot Morley: The Government announced on 25 March 2004, Official Report, column 55WS that it was actively considering establishing a UK-wide service to provide advice and assistance in decontamination and clean up after a deliberate chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) incident or a major accidental release of hazardous materials. Work on the potential costs, benefits and modalities of such a service has been going on since that announcement.
	As a result of its considerations, the Government now intend to set up a Government decontamination service (GDS), as an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The decision is part of the cross-Government work to ensure that the UK is prepared for a range of emergencies and has been developed under the CBRN resilience programme led by the Home Office. The service will have three principal functions, aimed at streamlining our ability to decontaminate the built and open environment following any CBRN incident.
	First, it will provide advice and guidance to responsible authorities during their contingency planning for CBRN incidents, and regularly help test the arrangements that are in place. This will build on the strategic national guidance for the built and open environment which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and DEFRA (respectively) issued in 2004.
	Secondly, it will rigorously assess the ability of companies in the private sector to carry out decontamination operations, and ensure that responsible authorities have access to those services if the need arises. If required, the agency will also help coordinate decontamination operations.
	Finally, the service will advise central Government on the national capability for the decontamination of buildings and the environment in the event of a major release of chemical, biological or radioactive materials.
	The Government have in parallel been taking forward work to build on its existing capability to decontaminate buildings and the open environment. The work has included assessment of and engagement with a range of specialist contractors and the identification of appropriate technologies. This is part of the research and foundation being developed to further enhance capability and build the permanent decontamination service over the coming years.
	CBRN resilience is devolved in Scotland. Scottish Ministers decided that the GDS should be invited to provide a service in Scotland and the Scottish Executive has been actively involved in its establishment. A similar statement is therefore to be made in the Scottish Parliament.
	The Welsh Assembly Government are not responsible for CBRN resilience under the terms of the devolved settlement in Wales but has been fully consulted on the development of the GDS. The central GDS arrangements now being put into place by the UK Government will also cover Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government fully support these arrangements.

Tony Blair: The House of Lords Appointments Commission is responsible for recommending non-party-political appointments to the House of Lords. However, I continue to nominate direct to Her Majesty the Queen a limited number of distinguished public servants on retirement. I have decided that the number of appointments covered under this arrangement will not exceed ten in any one Parliament.

Alan Johnson: In his pre-Budget report of 2 December, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced our intention to expand the pathways to work service to cover the Jobcentre Plus districts covering all 30 local authority districts with the greatest proportions of working age population on incapacity benefits (IB). I would like to provide an update on work to take this forward.
	The seven pathways to work pilots are designed to test the new approach in a variety of labour markets, including where IB recipiency rates are high. This means that we are already offering work-focused support from skilled personal adviser and the range of provision and incentives available in the choices package in five of the 30 local authority districts. These are Bridgend, Burnley, Gateshead, Inverclyde and Rhondda, Cynon, Taff. Early findings are showing very promising results.
	The reason the pathways pilots are performing well is due to the hard work and commitment from all the Jobcentre Plus staff and the NHS and private and voluntary sector organisations working with them. The expansion will make full use of their experience, expertise and the lessons learnt to ensure the smooth introduction of pathways in the new Jobcentre Plus districts, many of which are already working innovatively with people on IB. We are therefore putting in place twinning arrangements between current and future districts to ensure this learning and good practice is shared at all levels.
	The new condition management programmes are a totally new concept in combining health and employment interventions to help customers to manage their health and consider work. They are a good example of the successful partnership working between Jobcentre Plus and the Department of Health, devolved administrations and local primary care trusts/health boards. We are continuing to work with medical experts and local representatives to develop equally high quality programmes for the new pathways districts.
	We will start to roll out the pathways service from the end of October 2005 onwards and when all the new programmes are in place it will mean the pathways approach will be operating in one third of the country and cover around 900,00 IB recipients. I know that there is a lot of work to be done to introduce an effective work focused interview regime and ensure high quality provision is available.
	The new pathways areas will be rolled out according to the following schedule:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 Phase 1—October 2005 Phase 2—April 2006 Phase 3—October 2006 
			 Cumbria Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster Eastern Valleys 
			 Glasgow City of Sunderland Greater Mersey 
			 Lancashire West County Durham Staffordshire 
			 Tees Valley Lanarkshire and East Dumbarton 
			 Liverpool and the Wirral  
			 Manchester and Salford 
			 Swansea and West Wales 
		
	
	This major expansion of pathways is designed to test a mandatory work focused interview regime and the choices package provision in all those areas with high levels of inactivity and IB recipiency rates. By extending the number of people who receive advice and support from skilled personal advisers we aim to ensure as many people as possible starting a claim for IB are able to fulfil their aspiration for a return to employment and also to reduce the numbers at risk of long term inactivity and benefit dependency, with the damaging social and economic impact that chronic ill health and inactivity has on them and the locality they live in.
	Alongside the decision to extend the current pilots to some existing IB customers, expanding the areas in the country operating pathways is the first major step in reforming IB and focusing customers on their remaining capabilities and encouraging them back to work.